Today we’re sharing part of section 1 of our ebook. This section looks at the new mindset, the new media release and timing when it comes to PR. Hope you enjoy!
The new mindset
Perfection is out. The news cycle has compressed to nano-seconds, so there isn’t time anymore to polish and tweak a media release through multiple review rounds, numerous stakeholder sign offs and a sign off process that zig-zags through the corporate Rubik’s Cube.
Nike’s now-iconic campaign, Just Do It, in 1988 says it all.
Just do it.
And again – just do it.
Just get that media release done and out there.
The days of a 2-page, 900 word media release are gone.
The new black is half a page, 300 words.
One controversial idea, and three to four ideas/statements/statistics to back it up.
Don’t worry if the idea isn’t perfect. As long as it has substance, fulfills the requirements of ‘the new media release’ (which you can read about in the next chapter), then you’re good to go.
The new media release
Hearing voices
The ‘voice’ of a media release is perhaps the most important feature. Any good release should be written as if from the audience’s viewpoint.
How does this news/product/service affect the reader? Is it good news for them? Is it bad? Why should the public care about this news/service/product/problem?
Media releases written from the client’s viewpoint are headed straight for the Delete key.
Speed-dating with subject lines
The competition for attention is intense, and getting fiercer every day. A good subject line makes all the difference between getting the reporter’s attention and getting put on the spike/hit with the delete key.
Subject lines are the speed-dating of the new media world – you have perhaps 10 words maximum to grab that reporter by the throat and reel him/her in to your story.
Practise subject lines until your eyes close. Can you tell the story in that one line? If not, go back and try again.
Getting introduced
The introduction paragraph needs to be almost like an executive summary – succinct, well-written, and exciting enough to draw the reporter on to read more. And then more. And then some more.
Two or more viewpoints are a journalist’s dream – the story is well on the way to being what a good journalist wants.
Hitting the headlines
Jury’s out on this one too. Journalists are divided as to whether a good headline makes them read the story. Some regard the headline as just puffery to draw them in, while others gauge the story by whether they themselves are drawn in … merely by the headline.
Err on the side of caution – make every headline a great headline because you never know which style of reporter will be reading the release.
The body of evidence
In the body of the media release, each paragraph must be pulling its weight.
The tone can’t oversell the product/service – reporters are too clever to be snowballed by phrases that have been cut & pasted from a sales or technical manual.
It’s all in the timing
Most publications – whether print or electronic – are ‘published’ each morning, so afternoons are still a no-go zone for contacting most reporters. They’re up to their eyeballs in alligators and deadlines, so don’t waste a good media release by sending it out after 11am.
To follow-up or not to follow-up?
Don’t.
Does more need to be written on the eternal question: to follow-up or not to follow-up?
The totally wonderful thing about email is that it works 99.999999 per cent of the time.
The only exception to this rule is that the principal of the PR company may – once or twice – phone that extra-special reporter to see if there’s a whiff of interest.
But 99. 999999 per cent of the time, the rule is … don’t.
As Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo wrote in their inimitable book, He’s Just Not That into You, if he’s not phoning you, he’s just not that into you. Substitute ‘reporter’ for ‘he’, and you get the picture.
If you just can’t stop yourself reaching for the phone, then swerve your hand to the keyboard and follow-up with an email. Reporters are on their trolleys chasing real news—they just do not have the time or the memories to remember if they received a particular release 10 minutes ago.
How long is a piece of string?
Anything longer than an A4 page is heading for the delete key in a big hurry.
If there are two pages, then the time-poor journalist has to find a stapler. And then some staples. This is way too hard. And time-consuming.
So, if the release looks to be galloping on to a second page, or worse still, a third page, then it should be broken into two separate releases.
Or, perhaps, re-written as a column.
Susan Popovski